Saturday, November 14, 2015

The enigma that is American politics

(First published in the Nelson Mail and Manawatu Standard, November 4.)

As you read this, I’m in the United States. It’s a country
I’ve visited several times, but it remains an enigma to me.

The people I meet here are friendly, courteous and helpful.
I see no trace of the crazy America that we read about in the headlines: the
mass shootings, the religious fundamentalism, the overheated patriotism, the
rabid political views, the nasty outbursts of apparently racist police
violence. I find it hard to reconcile these with the Americans I encounter.

It’s a country of extremes, which is probably inevitable
given its turbulent history, diverse populace and tradition of rambunctious
individualism. But in between those extremes, there’s a vast mass of ordinary
people just trying to get on with their lives – people whose values are not so
different from our own.

There’s another striking aspect of the American enigma
that’s very much on display right now: its politicians.

This is a dynamic country full of clever, energetic,
creative people. Even people who profess to despise America devour its culture.

We read American books, listen to American music, watch
American films and television, wear American-inspired clothes, are kept alive
by American drugs and rely on American technology. There’s hardly a place on
earth that isn’t influenced in some way by America.

So, given the incredibly rich human resources with which
it’s blessed, how is it that we see such a dispiriting line-up of candidates
for the presidency?

Surely in a nation of 320 million people – the country that
accomplished the most audacious feat in history by putting man on the moon – it
must be possible to find more inspiring candidates than those whom American
voters are currently considering for elevation to the most powerful political
office on earth?

The highest-profile Republican contender is a braying
braggart with a frighteningly simplistic, one-dimensional world view. If we
thought George W Bush was a monstrous practical joke, a President Donald Trump
would be an even more tragic mistake.

His pitch for the support of American voters seems to depend
on two things. One is his sneering criticism of the other Republican contenders;
the other is his reputation as a man untouched by political correctness. In the absence
of any coherent policy or vision, these are not convincing credentials for the
White House.

What of the leading Democratic contender, then?

Hillary Clinton is the polar opposite of Trump, and not just
in ideological terms. While he plays up his status as a maverick, untainted by
connections with the Washington establishment, Clinton is the consummate
political insider.

She’s capable, intelligent and a seasoned schmoozer. She has
a track record as Secretary of State and happens to be one half of the world’s
most famous power couple.

Her performance in TV debates, and under the blow torch
during a gruelling 11-hour congressional hearing into American deaths in a
terrorist attack for which her Republican rivals held her responsible (rather
unreasonably, it seems to me), has been polished and assured. She gives the
impression she would make a tougher and more decisive president than Barack
Obama.

But she has a few skeletons rattling around in her closet and opinion
polls suggest many Americans don’t trust her. Besides, the Clintons, like the
Bushes, have had their time in the White House.

Trump and Clinton aside, there’s a supporting cast of lesser
presidential hopefuls, consisting of the usual ragtag collection of egotists,
misfits, no-hopers and fumblers – proof that ambition and overweening
self-confidence can take you a long way in American politics even when there’s
a gaping ability deficit.

American TV satirists are never short of material, least of
all at election time. Some contenders for the White House seem unprepared for
questions on even the most basic policy issues.

You could call this the Sarah Palin Effect. The Republican
nominee for vice-president in the 2008 election had never travelled outside
America until 2007 and, when questioned, couldn’t name a single newspaper or
magazine that she regularly read. This presumably inspired her fellow Americans
with the realisation that anyone could run for high office.

It wasn’t always like this. American politics once resounded
with soaring, visionary rhetoric.

Consider the speeches of John F Kennedy, bits of which are
still routinely quoted more than 50 years after he died. Kennedy may have been
a shameless libertine – a man whose alley-cat personal morality was sharply at odds with
his virtuous public image – but he knew how to inspire his fellow Americans with words
that created a sense of hope and opportunity.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, arguably the greatest US
president of the 20th century, had a similar gift. His “fireside
chats”, broadcast over the radio, reached into millions of homes and helped
carry America through the Great Depression and the Second World War.

Like Kennedy, Roosevelt never talked down to his audience.
He spoke eloquently, even loftily, confident that his audience would get his
message – and they did.

Somewhere along the line, America has mislaid this element
of its political culture. I was reminded of this watching a recent documentary
film called The Best of Enemies,
which recalled a famous series of cerebral 1968 television debates between the
American intellectuals Gore Vidal, on the left, and William F Buckley Jr on the
right.

Both the protagonists struck me as thoroughly obnoxious, but
the debates, broadcast to coincide with the Democratic and Republican national conventions,
fizzed and sparked with vicious but sophisticated humour.

Broadcast in prime time on the ABC network during the presidential
primaries, the debates were a surprise ratings hit. It would never happen today
– a risk-averse media would dismiss the concept as too highbrow. And even more
sadly, the same is true in New Zealand.

1 comment:

No mention of Ronald Reagan in your list of great Presidents? Stood up to the Soviets, ended the cold war..

The problem with American politics is the wide spread corruption of the 'political class' and it's supporting infrastructure. Republicans control both houses, yet appear incapable or disinterested in promoting any conservative agenda. They cannot even deny Government funding to Planned Parenthood, a private entity selling aborted baby body parts 'to order'.

The appeal of Trump may be simplistic, and he may well fall at the first primary hurdle, but his anti-establishment credentials resonate with a blue collar conservative base who are under threat on every front - loss of cultural conservative values, job losses through illegal immigration etc.

Hillary lied about Benghazi, told her daughter it was a terrorist attack via email, told the American people it was caused by an amateur film maker. She also did nothing to provide military assistance or support to the Ambassador, her 'long time friend' Steve who was ah.. 'abused' by his captors before being killed.

The Clintons who were 'broke' after leaving office now have hundreds of millions in their 'trust' fund, most donations coming from interesting overseas sources while Hillary was Secretary of State. I wouldn't trust her to babysit my grandchildren let alone as President of the USA.

Politics in the USA as in NZ often means making the least worse choice.

About Me

I am a freelance journalist and columnist living in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. In the presence of Greenies I like to boast that I walk to work each day - I've paced it out and it's about 15 metres. I write about all sorts of stuff: politics, the media, music, wine, films, cycling and anything else that piques my interest - even sport, though I admit I don't have the intuitive understanding of sport that most New Zealand males absorb as if by osmosis. I'm a former musician (bass and guitar) with a lifelong love of music that led me to write my book 'A Road Tour of American Song Titles: From Mendocino to Memphis', published by Bateman NZ in July 2016. I've been in journalism for more than 40 years and like many journalists I know a little bit about a lot of things and probably not enough about anything. I have never won any journalism awards.